


For My Daughter

by impulsewriter



Series: Jim Becomes A Dad [1]
Category: DC Extended Universe, DCU (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Feels, Clark is a Great Friend, Clone Experiments, Clones died during experimentations by sickos, Gen, Harm to Children, It's only CD because I haven't really seen much of YJ Outsiders, Jim has Emotions, Jim is trying to remain calm but he is failing, Mentions of Children being dead, Not Heavy Angst Entirely but definitely heavier than mild angst, Oliver is Trying, Rated T because dead child clones please take this seriously, mentions of child death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23978719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/impulsewriter/pseuds/impulsewriter
Summary: Clark asks Jim if they're sure there's no other Harper clones, since there turned out to be another Superman clone. Jim does some digging.He does not like what he finds, but he'll be damned if he leaves her behind.
Relationships: Jim Harper & Clark Kent, Jim Harper & Gwen Harper, Jim Harper & Oliver Queen
Series: Jim Becomes A Dad [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1728910
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Doing research for the OGL/G1 time displacement fic, I learned multiple things about the other versions of the characters, including that Jim is actually James' clone, and there are clones of Jim, one of which is a little girl that Jim literally takes with him after leaving Cadmus and adopts as his own kid so OBVIOUSLY I had to do this, because now I need Jim being a dad in Young Justice 'verse.
> 
> I also need Oliver acknowledging that Jim is part of the Goddamn Family and Deserves To Be Included. ~~And Clark being a Good Friend to Jim.~~
> 
> Match, for those of you who don't know, is apparently another clone of Superman? But a feral bastard of a clone? Not entirely sure, but yeah, that shit happened apparently? IDK I read it somewhere so idek if it's entirely accurate but fuck it, it gives me a reason to have "are there more clones?" come up between Clark and Jim.
> 
> That said, **please seriously know that this literally specifically mentions dead children, so please for the love of god, navigate carefully. The imagery is VERY clear, at least to me, so seriously do not fucking read this if you can't handle it. I'm serious.**

The mission had started with a simple question. It had been something Clark had brought to his attention, and Jim had full intentions of getting some answers, because it had spurred a natural fear in Jim's heart that it was entirely possible.

“ _If Match existed, along with Connor, then are we sure there aren't more clones of Roy?_ ”

So, Jim had gone back to the abandoned Cadmus lab, and dug around. He found no information on more clones. None of Roy, at least.

But there was a file. It was a small file, indicating the location of an even smaller lab (one with little to no funding apparently) in a small remote location in Canada, and it mentioned _clones of the clone_.

His mission had gone from _worrying_ to _panic inducing_ in just one second, and Jim downloaded the file, and the location to the small lab, before he called Clark, telling him he was calling in his favor and needed a ride.

Clark flew him Canada, and it might not have been the most dignifying thing to have to be flown bridal style to a small lab in Canada, but Jim was more concerned about these clones.

It was either him or Will, and Jim was a bit worried about what would happen to Will, if it turned out to be clones of Will. The younger man – or, well, technically older, he supposed – had come far in the past two, almost three, years, and Jim didn't want anything to ruin that.

He could always lie, if they turned out to be Will's clones, but Jim knew Will wouldn't be the only Harper that would see through it.

Jim didn't have to worry about the possibility of lying, though. When he and Clark got there, it was mostly empty, and most of the clones were just flat out dead, in abandoned growth pods. After hacking into the computer, Jim and Clark both stared at the full details of the project.

The scientists had been trying to grow a clone – _Jim's_ clone – into a young child, and then let it grow up in the lab, learning all the tricks of the trade, and lie to it. Tell it that it was abandoned, that its father – Jim – never wanted it, and all the other kind of bullshit that would manipulate the kid into being an angry, vengeful villain.

“Well... That's horrifying.” Clark said, unsure of what else to say. Jim simply let out a small noise, unable to form words.

He continued to scroll, finding that the project had been abandoned an entire _week_ ago, since all of the clones died.

“That...” Jim felt sick, and Clark squeezed his shoulder gently.

“If it was a week... We can see if there's any survivors.” Clark suggested, and Jim had known Clark his whole life – _literally_ , his entire life, because without the false memories in his head, the earliest memory he had was of Clark pulling him out from beneath a car that someone threw on him during his first outing as Guardian – so he agreed with the suggestion.

If Clark thought there was a chance for survivors, they may as well look.

They searched the entire lab, until Jim found the growth pod, shoved behind the others, no doubt forgotten by the scientists entirely.

He didn't hold back his tears, at the sight, and Clark came to him quickly.

“Get her out.” Jim whispered, trying to use the keypad to open it. “ _Get her out_!” Clark moved quickly, and ripped the door to the pod open. Jim ran, catching the little girl, as the goo that had surrounded her splashed around them. He simply held her, staring, as his heart raced, pounding in his ears.

She was maybe – _maybe_ – Lian's age, and Jim started crying harder.

Who would do this to _children_? The sight of the other pods had been horrifying, but most of them had been seven of eight years old.

(That was still _horrifying_ , mind you, but this... this was different. There was just something worse, about seeing a literal _toddler_ , in a pod, being grown simply to _manipulate_ , than it was to see older kids. It was _all_ messed up, but this was harder on Jim. She was the youngest, the _youngest_ , the same age as his sweet little niece, and it _hurt_ , to know they planned on hurting her.)

“She's alive.” Clark said softly. “I can hear her heart beating.”

“Oh god...” Jim whispered, “Oh god, she- what do I do?”

“A hospital seems like a good idea.” Clark said, and it was about maybe half an hour, tops, until Jim was in Royal Memorial Hospital, sitting next to a hospital bed, staring at a little girl that he had told the nurses was his _daughter_ and.

God, the only reason they complied was because the hospital staff knew exactly who their vigilantes were, and none of them had any desire to rat any of them – even Jim – out to the public.

“She's going to need papers.” The doctor said gently. “I'd suggest a lawyer getting involved, as well, to make sure she can't be taken away.” The doctor didn't know anything beyond her not having legal papers, and she was very kind. Doctor Mina had been Will and Roy's doctor for years, a person Oliver trusted to take care of the two when they were teenagers and running around as Speedy.

Oliver also had a very good friend who was a successful lawyer that had gotten proper papers for Will and Roy both, when Roy had been found.

When the doctor left, Jim pulled his phone out. He had been given the number by Oliver, with the blond's insistence to call him, if he ever needed anything, but it had been _awkward_ , for both of them, because Oliver didn't know how to handle the fact that his two sons saw a man, one Oliver hadn't known about, one that was meant to be Roy's uncle, as their brother.

It was also three in the morning, and Oliver had probably just gotten back from patrol, but Jim needed help, and he was in over his head, and...

“: _Hello?_ :” It was Dinah who picked up, and she sounded exhausted, and Jim didn't know if that was any better than Oliver.

“Hi.” He said, unsure, and he _swore_ he could hear Dinah frown.

“: _Jim?_ :” Dinah asked, and he heard Oliver in the background, sounding just as tired as his partner, before suddenly he heard the phone being passed.

“: _Jim? Is everything alright?_ :” Oliver _did_ sound exhausted, but there seemed to be worry in his voice, as well, and Jim felt his eyes water.

“I need help.” Jim said, voice cracking. “I- Clark and I-”

“: _Went to Canada. Yeah, Clark told several of us he was going to do some recon with you about a personal mission. Did... Is there...?_ :” Is there another clone.

“She needs papers.” Jim whispered.

“: _How old is she? Does she have a name?_ :” Oliver asked immediately, and Oliver being so genuinely willing to help Jim without hesitation immediately helped in calming Jim's fear. “: _Dinah, I need you to call Tommy_ _ **now**_ _._ :”

“I... Three, I think?” Jim said, “Maybe- maybe four?”

It was deathly silent on the phone.

“: _She's... a kid?_ :” Oliver asked, sounding stunned.

“Worse... She's a _baby_ , and... She's mine.” Jim said, “The... they were cloning _me_ , and...” His voice cracked again.

“: _Okay. Okay, Jim. Where are you now?_ :”

“Royal Memorial.” Jim said, breathing deeply to stay calm.

“: _Okay. Tommy and I will be there soon, alright? We'll get everything figured out._ :” Oliver promised, and Jim couldn't stop himself from crying again.

He didn't know how to be a dad – he never had one, not even in the false memories. In those memories, his mother was James Harper's daughter, and his father walked out on them before Jim had been born. There was one thing he'd always promised himself though, before he had known he was a clone of Roy's.

He promised he'd never do what his father had done. He'd be there for his kid, or kids, and it seemed that, well, he had that chance now, for one of them, at least.

In the lobby, ten minutes later, Clark greeted Oliver and Tommy, with Jim none the wiser that his friend was still there.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sitting in the hospital, Jim and Oliver talk, and Jim makes a promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to make it a 2 shot. I needed Oliver and Jim interacting. I also made up 80% of the backstory events in this fic lmao. So, yeah, get some of Jim's ~~Tragic~~ Backstory(TM). ~~All Harpers are hot headed, stubborn morons who used to Punch First, Ask Later, lmao~~
> 
> Doctor Mina is an OC of mine, btw. everyone else is canon to DC in some form or another, and the only thing about Gwen I made up is her middle name, because I couldn't find one, and how Jim gets her in this. 8)

Oliver walked into the room with Tommy fifteen minutes after the phone call ended. Jim had calmed down by then, or, at least, he calmed down enough to stop crying. Oliver sat next to him, and hesitated a moment, before Jim found himself in a hug that was awkward for at least six and a half seconds. It only stopped being awkward when Jim relaxed against the older man, and any hesitation from Oliver was immediately gone.

Tommy sat on his other side, and for all the random stories Will and Roy had given Jim over the years of their 'Uncle Tommy', the man was all business, working to get all the proper papers in order for the little girl on the hospital bed.

She wasn't awake – hadn't even stirred, not once, since Jim and Clark pulled her out – but she looked tiny and frail, and that was what was messing with Jim the most.

She was so _small_ , and Doctor Mina had said that she was probably going to be behind, either socially or physically, because she had been in a _pod_ , abandoned, and none of them knew if she had _any_ sort of knowledge or understanding of anything. Jim didn't even know if she knew a life outside of the pod she'd been in.

“She needs a name.” Tommy said, and Jim didn't respond immediately. He was just staring at the small girl, lying there, with the only sign of her being alive being the heart monitor's continuous beeping in a steady rhythm.

“Jim?” Oliver asked, and Jim looked down, away from the girl.

“Gwendoline.” He said, and he knew there was no point to it; his memories had been fake, and she didn't actually exist, but some part of him had always wanted to name his kid after the mother that had raised him.

(He wondered if Will ever felt like this, though he supposed not, since technically, his memories were _real_ , just not his own.)

“That's a nice name.” Tommy said, “You giving her a middle name?” It took approximately two seconds for Jim to decide.

“Willow.”

“Gwendoline Willow Harper.” Oliver said, and Jim could hear he was having a small moment about the name. He knew, exactly, why Jim chose Willow. “You know he's going to cry, when he finds out.” Jim smiled weakly.

“Probably.” He said, as Tommy finished writing in the birth certificate and name. Doctor Mina stepped in, and signed everything, as if she were the one who delivered the girl – delivered _Gwen_ – and then she stepped out. Tommy squeezed Jim's shoulder, offering comfort and support, before stepping out himself.

“Clark's in the lobby.” Oliver said, and Jim looked at him.

“What?”

“He stayed. He's worried. If you want, I can talk to him. We don't have to tell the others anything yet, not until _you_ are ready, but he'd like to know she's okay.” Oliver said, and Jim felt his heart ache, as he looked down at his hands, that were clasped together in nervous anxiety.

“You know... one of my earliest memories is of him.” Jim said softly. “Taking out all the fake memories... He's the first person I actually remember meeting.”

“Yeah?” Oliver asked, and Jim nodded.

“Yeah... Pulled me out from under a car, my first time out as Guardian. I didn't have a mentor going in, but... I kind of came out of everything with one anyways.” His mouth twitched, “Clark was always came to check on me, when I ran patrols, making sure I wasn't overdoing anything. Kept saying I was too young, it wasn't my responsibility... I was twenty one and pissed off about him patronizing me, so I called him an asshole.” Oliver laughed.

“What'd he do about that?”

“Called me a kid who was in over my head.” Jim replied, “He didn't find out why it was so important to me until I ended up in a hospital after I helped him in a fight. He yelled at me, for being stupid enough to just go in and help when he had it handled, when a woman came in, with a teenage girl in a wheelchair, and the nurse. They thanked me, because while Clark was fighting, I was _guarding_. The girl's chair had gotten stuck, in some of the debris went flying. I got hurt protecting her and her mother, as two cops worked to get her chair free. The nurse found out I lied, and had gotten hit on the head, and tore my helmet off to get me into an MRI. She demanded my full name and everything just to get a health history, she was so mad... Clark looked like he was having a heart attack, when I said James Jacob Harper. A month later, when I was cleared by the nurse, he made sure I knew how to fight properly to avoid getting hurt again.”

“He was just worried.” Oliver said, smiling softly. “He threw a damn fit, when everyone found out I took Roy out the first time. Said fifteen year olds were too young. A year later, he came to me and apologized. Said he didn't realize how hard headed a Harper could be, until he met one himself. That was the first time I heard about you, and I was terrified. Thought you were going to take Roy away.”

“I didn't know about Roy. Not that he was my nephew.” Jim shrugged, “Not back then. It wasn't until a year later, when Will ended up breaking into my apartment as Speedy, asking me if I was really his uncle that I we actually talked, and found out about it. Most of twenty ten he was coming over to my place for food when he couldn't afford to eat. I kept telling him he should go home to you, but he said that wouldn't help him prove his point. Actually I'm pretty sure he spent the entirety of September with me, that year.”

“Jim, I say this lovingly, but if you managed to survive a month of taking care of Will, then _she_ ,” Oliver nodded his head towards Gwen. “Is probably going to be a lot easier.” Amusement was on the blond man's face, when he said it, and Jim laughed quietly.

“You think?” He asked.

“Will once punched a wall when he was seventeen because he was frustrated with his math homework.” Oliver said, raising an eyebrow.

“I punched Clark when I was twenty two because I was mad that he got in my way.” Jim replied, and Oliver laughed.

“Never mind, you're doomed.” Oliver teased, and Jim smiled, looking back at the little girl. She didn't look like Jim – not completely. She had his facial structure, though it was rounder, from the baby fat all little kids had. Her eyes were blue – something they knew because Doctor Mina lifted her eye lids to check the response of her pupils – but her hair was blonde. Jim didn't know if there was another DNA set that she had, or if she only had Jim's, but it didn't really matter to him.

“Think Roy and Will are gonna be pissed I never told them what I was doing?” Jim asked, and Oliver shrugged.

“I think they'll stop, once they see her.” Oliver said, as his phone beeped. The blond checked it quietly, and sighed. “I have to go.” Jim winced.

“Sorry, for... you know, calling.”

“Jim, I told you to call if you needed my help. This falls under that.” Oliver replied, standing up.

“Thank you. For helping.” Jim said, and Oliver squeezed his shoulder gently, like Tommy had done. It was more comforting than Jim had expected it to be.

“Try to get some sleep. I'll send Clark home.” Oliver said, and Jim nodded. The door to the room was shut behind Oliver, and Jim looked at the small girl on the bed.

He slept for about half an hour, and then he woke up, hearing the shift in the heart monitor. He looked at his little girl, and saw her eyes open, looking around in fear, despite how tired she looked.

He didn't hesitate, and got up from his seat, moving to sit on the edge of the hospital bed. She looked up at him, eyes wide a bit, and he smiled softly at her.

“Hi... I'm your dad.” He didn't expect her lip to wibble, or the tears on her face, but he had experience with comforting Lian, when she cried, so he ran his fingers through her hair, his heart aching as she cried without making a sound.

No child should be this quiet.

“It'll be okay... I'm not going anywhere, okay? Daddy's got you.”

And he'll be damned, if he let anyone hurt his daughter again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a comment about what you liked or thought about this. Also, feel free to throw ideas of how you think Jim could navigate being a Sudden Dad (from activities to Mistakes Happening) in the comments, or on tumblr at impulsewriter

**Author's Note:**

> *Title literally from For My Daughter by Kane Brown because I was listening to it and fuck it, it just gave me the goddamn feels, okay?
> 
> There will be More of this, but this one will be a one or two shot, and the rest will probably be a longfic?? or more oneshots IDK I haven't decided yet but the way I ended this one could actually lead into a 2nd chapter but again I haven't decided so idk??? I'll leave it as 1 of 2 until tomorrow but it's like 1:30 AM right now and I'm tired but wanted to throw this up because I need to shove all the Emotions I'm having at everyone else too. 8)
> 
> if y'all have ideas for Dumb Shit For New Single Dads of Toddlers to do with their Daughters, whether it a fun activity of Trying Hard or some "Mistakes were Fuckin Made, Will/Oliver/Roy, I'm goddamn new at this", please, feel free to throw them either below or at me on tumblr at impulsewriter


End file.
